Orissa seeks 7.5 billon flood relief from centre

Bhubaneswar, September 28 (odisha.in) Orissa government has submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister seeking an interim central assistance to the tune of Rs..7.5 billon to undertake relief and rehabilitation work in the 12 districts hit by the current fourth spell of floods casued following continuous heavy rains since 15th last.

The Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik ,who met Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil at New Delhi , submitted the memorandum and urged instant release of the financial assistance to help provide succor to the people in distress and to send a central team to asses the damage caused by the floods, said the State Revenue Minsiter Manmohan Samal.

An estimated 4.5 million population were affected by the current floods, the fourth this year that caused havoc in 12 districts including six coastal districts and the total loss due to the calamity has been pegged at around Rs.11 billion, the preliminary memorandum said.

So far 39 persons died in the latest rains and the consequent floods in the state taking a toll of 79 human lives this year since June last , 25 being in the third spell , said the Revenue Minister.

Earlier the state government had submitted first memorandum to the Central government

On July 24 last seeking around Rs.3 billion assistance to compensate the lossCaused by the floods , Samal said regretting that no financial assistance was provided to the state.

The state had sought around Rs.24 billion financial assistance from the Centre towards relief and rehabilitation for 2006-07 floods and received a paltry Rs.25 crore ,.the Revenue Minister said and added that though the Prime Minister, Dr.Manmohan Singh,who had seen himself the flood situation during his visit and had made a suo moto an announcement of Rs.2 billion assistance, nothing came so far.

The Revenue Minister ,who visited the flood affected areas in Balasore , the Worst hit district earlier in the day , told media persons that though the rains had stopped , the situation is grave. However, the floods waters have started receding .

Stating that over ten lakh people are still marooned in the flood areas, State government had announced provision of free kitchens for the distressed people left their homes and would continue till they returned to their houses, said the Minister.

He said seven districts- Balasore, Bhadrakh, Kendrapada, Kandhamal,Jajpur, Mayurbhanj and Cuttack are badly affected by the rains and consequent floods. Claiming that relief has reached in every affected villages.